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Rs. 20 m for emergency relief

by Nadira Gunatilleke

The Department of Social Services has allocated Rs.20 million for emergency relief in drought stricken areas, Deputy Director, (Rehabilitation), D. Hettiarachchi told the Daily News yesterday.

Although no rain has been forecast in the coming weeks, about 350,000 families in Hambantota, Moneragala, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Ampara, Badulla and Ratnapura districts have been affected.

The worst affected areas are the Hambantota district and Embilipitiya, Weligepola and Kolonne divisional secretariat divisions in the Ratnapura district. Baskets of dry rations are distributed among the drought stricken families. Discussions are in progress with the international agencies such as the United Nations and World Food Program for obtaining more aid and there has been a positive response, Mr. Hettiarachchi said.

A special program will be launched soon to identify the worst affected areas in order to increase the quota of relief given.

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